There are
many towns named Bangor
in the world: in Wales, in Ireland, in the United States, in Canada, in
Australia and ...in Belle-Ile.
The name of "Bangor" comes from a welsh word meaning a settlement
protected by a wattle fence.

The commune
of Bangor takes up a large part of the central plateau of the island, which
was for a long time covered with moor. In addition, Bangor is the only commune
completely facing the Wild Coast. During a long time, it was a disadvantage,
as, without safe moorings, no maritime activity could be developed. Nowadays,
the growth of the touristic activities favours the commune which holds some
of the most beautiful beaches of Belle-Ile (Donnant, Kerel, Herlin, Yeyew, Dotchot,
Baluden, etc.).

On the commune
of Bangor, the magnificent sites of Domois, Port-Coton or Goulphar have inspired
painters for more than a century. In addition to Claude Monet and John Peter
Russell, numerous artists came to Belle-Ile to get inspired, as for instance:
Charles Cottet, Henri Matisse, Victor Roux-Champion, Alexis Gritchenko, Francis
Auburtin, Maxime Maufra, Henry Moret, Constantin Kousnetzoff, Marcel Gromaire,
André Masson, Jean Hélion, André Marchand, etc...Here are
some paintings:

Octave
Penguilly L'Haridon, small sea-gulls, Donnant, 1858

Henry
Moret, Goulphar, 1895

Henry
Moret, Foghorn of Port-Coton, 1895

John
Peter Russell, Shepherdess with goats, 1897

Francis
Auburtin, Goulphar, the red sail, 1896

Claude
Monet, Rocks at Goulphar, 1886

Maxime
Maufra, Cliffs of Belle-Ile, 1913

Claude
Monet, Self-portrait, 1886

Maxime
Maufra, Large swell, Donnant

Francis
Auburtin, Boats, Goulphar, 1896

Henry
Moret, Domois, 1897

At
the most recent census (in 1999), the commune of Bangor had 738 inhabitants
(which is a clear increase if compared to the census of 1975, when there was
only 563 inhabitants). The surface of the commune of Bangor is 25,54 km².
The small town of Bangor has extended around the historic center, whose shape
has not changed very much since the eighteenth century.

Aerial view
of Bangor:

Some
dates of the history of Bangor

The origin
of Bangor is old: in 1006, Belle-Ile is owned by the monks of Redon and Quimperlé,
and is organized in parishes. It is the beginning of the clearing of the land
and the parish of Bangor is created (around 1029).
In 1572, the first windmill is built on the parish: the mill of the Moor.
Belle-Ile is given to the Duke of Retz. Depending on the Holy See,the parish
of Bangor is annexed to the Diocese of Vannes in 1666.
In 1761, Bangor is held by the English Army (Headquarters were installed in
the presbytery during the siege of the Citadel).
1765: projects of gift of land by the King to the inhabitants of the island,
and, in 1766, 78 Acadian families come to Belle-Ile (of which 31 settle on the
parish of Bangor).

Bangor becomes
a commune in 1790.
1834: first local primary school (for boys).
1836: the Lighthouse of Kervilahouen is put into service.
1892: construction of a local primary school for girls (present town hall).